Piano-strings and frame for same.



E. FOSTER PIANO STRINGS AND FRAME FOR SAME.

APPLICATION man MAY 28. 1911.

1,266,445, Patented May14,1918.

WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS EDWARD ros'rnn, or momma BAY, J iiv'uiroA, nitrrrsn wris'r I'NnIE's.

PIANO-STRINGS Ann rnaivtn'roit smvm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed fllay 28,1917. Serial No. 171,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Fos'rnn, a subject of the King of England, and a resident of Montego Bay, Jamaica, British Vest Indies, have invented new and Improved Piano-Strings and Frame for Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to piano strings and frame for same and an object thereof is to provide metal tapes in lieu of wires, to facilitate the tuning of the instrument. The use of such tapes will also decrease the hardening of the felted hammers, as they will strike on the larger surface.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a piano frame provided with strings embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a modified string structure;

Fig. at is a fragmentary elevation showing a different method for securing the strings; and Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 55, Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 4. is a metallic tape of suitable width and thickness, ac cording to the tone it is to reproduce. An opening 5 is provided at each end. The lower opening is adapted to engage a peg 6 anchored in a frame 7. The upper end fits into a slit end 8 of a bar 9 the other end of which is threaded. The bar has a slot 10 for receiving a screw 11 which rests in the support 12 for the bar 9.

The support 12 is carried by a metal rack 13 which is secured to the frame. The rack 13 has tapering apertures 14 alining with the bars 9 through which the threaded end of the bar projects. A- nut 15 engages a threaded end of the bar above the rack whereby the tension of the tape on the board may be varied, the tape belng connected to the bar by a bolt 16. Suitable bridges 17 are provided on the frame for the tapes 4. An auxiliary bridge 18 is provided on the frame across the tapes near the bars 9 to bring the tapes at the bars in alinement with the direction of pull through the tapering apertures 14 in the rack. A pressure bar 19 is disposed across the tapes between the adjacent bridges 17 and 18, said bar being maintained on the tapes by screws 20 interposed between the tapes and whereby the tapes are depressed between said bridges.

In Fig. 3 the tapes 4 are provided at each end with a loop 21 mounted to swing in the plane of the tape. The lower loops carry a link 22 for engaging the pegs in the board. The upper loops 21 straddle the slotted ends 23 of the bars 9 so that the loops can swing in a plane at right angles to the bar. The bars in the structure shown in Fig. 3 are not slotted, but the screws 11' are made to engage each pair of adjacent bars by fitting them into the support 12 between the bars.

From the above description it will be seen that the tapelike strings are prevented from torsion and lateral movement 011 their bridges by the engagement of the screws 11 with the slots in the bars 9. The lateral movement of the strings is also prevented by the screws 20 which retain the pressure bar 19 on the strings between the bridges 17 and 18.

In the modified structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the tape 4 has at the upper end a loop 21 which is provided with a wire 24 engaging a key 25 set into the board or rack, as the case may be, by which the tension of the tape may be varied.

I claim:

1. In combination, a frame, tape-like piano strings, a rack extending transversely of the strings and secured to the frame, bridges on the frame extending transversely of the strings, a bar pivotally connected to each string and engaging the rack whereby the tension of the string may be varied, a support for said bars carried by the rack, and means securing the bars to the support slidably whereby the strings are prevented from torsion and lateral movement on the bridges.

2. In combination, a frame, tape-like piano strings having means at the lower ends for securing the strings to the frame, bridges on the frame extending transversely of the strings, a bar connected tothe upper end of each string, a rack secured to the frame and extending transversely of the strings having means for engaging the bars, means as- 5 sociated with the bars and adapted to engage the rack, whereby the tension of the strings may be varied, a support for the bars associated with the rack, means for guiding the bars on the support, an auxiliary bridge for the strings in proximity to the bars to 1 prevent the bending of the bars, and means for retaining the strings in engagement with said bridge.

EDWARD FOSTER.

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